Four Guatemalan nationals arrested for alleged involvement in a transnational human smuggling organization that resulted in a woman’s death have been indicted.
The four U.S. fugitives were arrested Aug. 2 by Guatemalan law enforcement, an Aug. 4 Homeland Security news release said. The U.S. requested the arrest in Guatemala “pursuant to charges previously filed in the Western District of Texas."
“These indictments demonstrate the Department of Justice’s commitment to holding accountable criminal organizations that prey upon vulnerable people for profit," Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said in the release.
Arrested were Felipe Diego Alonzo, “Siete,” 38; Lopez Mateo Mateo, “Bud Light,” 42; Juan Gutierrez Castro, “Andres,” 45; and Nesly Norberto Martinez Gomez, “Canche,” 37. Joint Task Force Alpha, created in June 2021 by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, coordinated the indictments, the release reported.
“Joint Task Force Alpha was created to investigate and prosecute the international networks responsible for dangerous and prolific human smuggling activities that exploit and victimize migrants,” Polite said, according to the release. "JTF Alpha’s dedicated personnel, along with our international law enforcement partners, are working tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle these harmful smuggling and trafficking networks.”
The four Guatemalan nationals allegedly conspired with other smugglers to help “large numbers of migrants” travel from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. The migrants and their families were charged approximately $10,000 to $12,000. The four also are allegedly responsible for the death of a Guatemalan woman who died In April 2021 in Texas, the release said.
U.S. Attorney Ashley Hoff said the body of the young woman who died was “callously dumped by the smugglers in Crane County, Texas.”
“Along with our partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is committed to delivering justice for her and to holding all the offenders accountable for their crimes, including those members of the criminal organization who remain in Guatemala,” Hoff said.
